How BCCI Operates

BCCI served as the manual implementation of the Italian bankers and the ability of the kings to tax church property (with the popes permission). Eventually the computer took over this function. Below is described how the sysops used to do it and the computer currently does it.

BANCO CATOLICO DE CREDITO INTERNAZIONALE (BCCI) will be run by the developers until the code for it is working. What BCCI can do is issue loans to kings. The interest is 25% per annum, but the interest is not due until the king reaches his credit limit. Typically, and historically, kings would default on their loans. BCCI is backed by the Bardi, the Peruzzi and other large Italian banks and has access to over ten million Florins in lending capital. That's three billion in ducats, so we're not talking small time here. At the start of the game, the English kings credit is good, the French kings credit is not.

BCCI will loan money to England as long as the outstanding amount (principal, not interest) does not exceed 400 million ducats. Annual loans can be up to twice the kings stature in millions of ducats (max, 18 million ducats per annum). The English king defaults and is cut off from further loans if he reaches his credit limit and does not begin making repayments. This is a non-negotiable condition. The French king may reapply for BCCI loans after 1360, with a 10% chance in each annual application of its credit being restored. Same terms as for the English king.

BCCI also represents the papacy in handling taxation of national Church assets. The amount that can be taken, with the popes permission, is based on the kings stature:

Stature                       Clerical tax                  French Tax (Ducats)           

1                             None                                                        

2                             None                                                        

3                             Twentieth                     6 million                     

4                             Twentieth                     "                             

5                             Twelfth                       10 million                    

6                             Twelfth                       "                             

7                             Sixth                         20 million                    

8                              Sixth                        "                             

9                             Fifth                         24 million
                    

These are the fractions of the national tax base that may be delivered to the king as clerical tax.

English tax would be 60% of French tax.

A French pope cannot allow Clerical Taxation for England, he can approve or deny taxation for France.

BCCI is represented in the game by the Prince of Orange (one of the Heralds plays that character for no other purpose, aside from wandering around and checking for bugs and how new features are operating.)